Joey Votto was back in the lineup Tuesday after missing two games with inflammation in his left knee.

"It's not 100 percent," he said. "But I can play. It's good enough to go without causing any more trouble."

Votto singled to left-center in his first at-bat of the game. He finished the game 2-for-4.

After 79 games, being fully healthy doesn't happen.

"The later you get in the season the less chance you have of anybody being 100 percent," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Anybody who's played every day is not going to be 100 percent until November – if then."